The NBA’s 2025-26 schedule was simply launched, and the Philadelphia 76ers seemingly aren’t too happy. The NBA saddled the Sixers with 16 back-to-back video games, which appears like a slap within the face to a group that was decimated by harm.
Sixers star Joel Embiid particularly cannot play each video games in back-to-backs, which implies he’d miss no less than 16 video games subsequent season proper off the bat. In fact, even when Embiid had been wholesome to begin subsequent season, which he seemingly will not be, he in all probability would miss way more than 16 video games.
Nonetheless, it is the precept of the matter. The NBA began the season earlier to cut back back-to-backs. And whereas they’ve gone down in recent times, with many groups beforehand enjoying 20+ back-to-backs, 16 remains to be far too many.
The NBA did the Philadelphia 76ers and Joel Embiid no favors
The Sixers seemingly would not be capable to maintain Embiid wholesome even when there have been zero back-to-back video games. Nonetheless, it does end in load administration having so many video games in a brief interval.
If and when Embiid is wholesome, he’ll nonetheless need to take care of back-to-back video games, which is able to pressure him out of the lineup. Paul George, who will seemingly additionally miss the beginning of subsequent season, must do the identical.
The league did the 76ers soiled, particularly when a five-game stretch from March ninth to seventeenth, once they play six video games in eight nights, together with the final recreation being at Denver.
The NBA set the Philadelphia 76ers up for failure
Do not be stunned if each Embiid and George sit out that recreation, which is bound to attract criticism, simply not on the NBA. Embiid hasn’t performed in Denver in years, and the league scheduling the Sixers the way in which they did makes it unlikely that he’ll swimsuit up.
That’s on the league. The 76ers will have already got their palms full preserving Embiid and George wholesome, and their compact schedule does not assist. That places Philly at a aggressive drawback forward of subsequent season, with them already going through numerous uncertainty.
All instructed, the Sixers had been accomplished no favors by the NBA with the league scheduling for 16 back-to-back video games. With the 76ers having two of probably the most injury-prone gamers within the NBA, they must try to maintain Embiid and Paul wholesome. However that will likely be simpler stated than accomplished with their new schedule.